Gov. Brown’s tax extension special election fading fast

The chance of California having a special election in June is fading fast. The June 7th and 14th dates are now all but impossible and any date later in June is bumping-up against legal deadlines. KUSI's Steve Bosh reports on the latest legislative battle.

County registrars need 88-days to prepare for an election. To have a June 21st election, a deal to put the tax extensions on the ballot would have to be reached by this Friday.

There has been no movement by Republicans to cooperate with the Democrats on extending taxes. In fact, at their spring convention this past weekend they passed a resolution opposing taxes at all costs but withdrew a resolution to brand any Republican a traitor if they voted for the governor's plan.

That could open the way to a deal if the governor will rollback state pensions, business regulations, and put a cap on state spending. But the unions have the power to prevent those rollbacks. This is gridlock, and nobody knows how to break it.

“This is a matter too big, too irreversible to leave just to those whom you've elected. This is the time when the people themselves gather together in a special election and make the hard choice,” said Governor Brown.

But the governor and the legislature have to give the people that opportunity, and so far, nobody's found a way to do that deal.

Meantime, the registrars can't do anything to prepare for an election until the legislature sets a date. Legal deadlines have already passed for June 7th and 14th. The deadline for setting a June 21st election is this Friday.

The legislature was in session Monday but neither the Senate nor the Assembly discussed the tax extensions, or the election.

The governor is still looking for four Republican's to join the Democrats to get this on the ballot.